Author's note: Sorry for the short length on this chapter, and also for the delay in getting it posted.

Damien stood by her while they were rowed to the Black Pearl. The sitting room was taken up by the men who were rowing, and there were no places for the newcomers to sit. At first, Anna was unsteady on her feet, but her friend's strong hand on her shoulder kept her upright until they reached the ship itself. The crew on board threw a rope ladder over the side, and Damien pushed Anna towards it. Hands shaking slightly, she took hold of the rough ladder and pulled herself up to the main deck.

Strong hands helped pull her onto the deck, and she looked up to see the dirt-smudged faces and matted hair of two crew members. They looked at her quizzically, wondering who she was and why she had come on board. They quickly ignored her and helped Damien over the side and onto the boat, welcoming him with firm handshakes and warm laughs. Anna took note of this. Apparently he was well liked among his shipmates. When the rest of the dingy crew was aboard, Damien introduced her to the rest of the crew.

"Everyone, this is Alex. I found him on the streets of Port Royal, and he promised to work in exchange for food and shelter here." His voice was casual, and Anna saw no signs of suspicion among the crew members. She relaxed somewhat at this discovery, but her eyes continued to scan the crew's faces for signs that they that doubted Damien's story. "He'll share my quarters for the time being. That's all I wanted to say," he told them with a shrug. The men nodded briefly and then went back to the work they were doing, talking and laughing amongst themselves.

Anna turned to Damien. "What now?" she asked, her fingers still holding the ends of her severed hair. He laughed.

"We're goin' to go see the Captain. And stop doin' that!" He snatched her hand away from her hair and let it drop. She nodded and looked down at her feet, slightly embarrassed at her stupidity. If the men here notice that short hair is something new to me, they'll be suspicious, she thought to herself. "Now, follow me; and stay close!" Anna obeyed, walking closely behind him as he headed for a door near the back of the ship. He opened it and stepped inside, motioning for her to enter also. As she stepped into the dark room, she noticed instantly that a man sat on the far side of the room. He had long, dark dreadlocks and eyes. A beard and mustache framed his mouth, where a smug smile played about his lips. His feet were up on a desk as he lounged back in a wooden chair, studying the arrivals in his quarters. Once Damien had shut the door, the man grinned, and there was a flash of gold from his teeth.

"Damien, my good man," said Captain Jack Sparrow as he swung his legs off the desk in front of him. "What have you brought onto my ship?" Jack's eyes remained on Anna, as if there was something about her that he recognized. Her heart suddenly started beating faster. What if he saw her parents' looks in her? Would he figure out her identity?

"Captain, I thought we could use a cabin boy. He was wandering through the streets of Port Royal, and I thought that he could work in exchange for food and a place in my quarters."

"You know there's no need for formalities when we're in private, lad," Jack said, standing up and crossing the room. "Unless, of course, you want to call me 'Captain,' I have no problems with that." Damien laughed and put a hand on Anna's shoulder.

"So, is the boy good to say, then?" he asked the Captain, who looked at Anna with un unreadable expression.

"Of course. I presume he'll be staying in your cabin?" Damien nodded, and the began edging towards the door.

"Yes. I'll take him there now and get him situated." He led her towards the door with a hand still on her shoulder. Just as Anna turned away form Jack's gaze, she saw him wink. At first she wasn't sure what it had meant, but soon after, ideas of possible meanings were crowding through her mind. Had he guessed she was a girl? Maybe he saw her parents' likenesses in her, and he recognized her. Or, another part of her mind chimed in, maybe he's just being friendly. She shook her head before Damien led her out the door and down through a hatch into the bowels of the ship.

The smell was a bit musty, but it was tolerable. They were descending down a set of stairs that was almost a ladder, and when they reached the bottom, Damien took an immediate right and opened a door. The door swung forward, revealing a very small room with a cot along one wall, and a desk along another. An almost miniscule trunk sat at the foot of the cot, where Anna guessed her friend stored his personal belongings. Seeing the room answered one of the very first questions she had about him. He was a pirate, and she could even call herself one now. The thought made her grin; if only her mother could see her now.

Damien's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "We can pull another cot in here and put it along that wall," he said, indicating the only empty wall space with his hand. "It'll be cramped, but I'm sure we can manage."

Anna studied the space and decided that there was, in fact, enough space for another cot. The idea of privacy didn't occur to her right at the moment, and she was eager to get settled into her room with Damien.

"All right," she said with a smile. "What do we do first?"